New York Dream Act

On January 23rd, 2019, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed the New York DREAM Act, after almost a decade where youth, immigrants, and allies organized for adequate access to higher education and financial assistance for tuition.

The bill would allow undocumented immigrants who meet the criteria to qualify for in-state tuition assistance. We anticipate Governor Cuomo will sign the DREAM Act into law by April, and we look forward to working with him and state legislators to ensure the bill is successfully implemented and the process is accessible to all eligible students.

The NYIC has created a resource for schools and organizations to help students and families seeking to understand if they will be eligible and for educators and community organizations who wish to help them begin to plan. Be on the lookout, as we will continue to update this resource as things change.

Basic Facts:

Undocumented immigrants and others with a special visa status who are enrolling in higher education institutions in NY State will be able to apply for the state's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) if they meet the criteria.

Did you know? Individuals with a taxpayer identification number,regardless of immigration status, can save for higher education by opening a New York State 529 family tuition savings account under the New York State College Savings Program.

*Updated 5/17/19: If you accessed information from the previous version of this flyer, please be advised that the language only reflected the legislative bill, whereas the new background offers the final language and criteria of the bill that was passed in the budget and signed shortly after.